Interview with Lesléa Newman, Author of “Sparkle Boy”
In the book, Casey tells us that he is a boy. Why was it important to you to represent Casey as a boy who enjoys dressing in skirts and sparkles rather than as a transgender or non-binary character?
The book was inspired in part by a friend’s son who strongly identified as a boy who happened to like wearing skirts and sparkly nail polish. I did not know of a book about such a child and decided to write one in hopes that boys (and all children) would come away with the message that it’s okay to be yourself, like whatever you like, wear whatever you want to wear, and be whoever you want to be. Oppression of any form (“You can’t wear that!”) hurts everyone.
What would you say to children like Casey - children who may not present their gender in the way others expect?
I would say, you make the world sparkle! You are perfectly fine—in fact more than fine, absolutely fabulous—just the way you are! There is a place for you in this world. You deserve respect, acceptance, celebration, and love!
The characters in your books represent many identities. How do these identities intersect in your life and/or in your writing?
The purpose of all my books is to make the world a better place for children. I do my best to present diversity in my books through the text and the illustrations. While every book cannot represent every child, I hope that my body of work is inclusive and again bears the message that it’s okay to be YOU.
You have a long repertoire of books; can you tell us about one or two that have felt particularly meaningful in your life and why?
Obviously “Heather Has Two Mommies” has a special place in my life, as it was the first book that focused on a happy, intact family of two lesbian moms and their child. The book has had quite a life, and is still in print after 31 years! I have heard from so many lesbian moms about this book and how grateful they are that it exists. I have even met adults whose parents read the book to them when they were growing up and are now reading it to their children. That simply amazes me. The other book I’d like to mention is “GIttel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story” a picture book that came out last year and is based on my own family history of immigration. “Gittel” is based on my Aunt Phyllis’ mother. Aunt Phyllis is 92 and she is absolutely thrilled that her mother’s journey from Eastern Europe to America in the early 1900’s has become the basis for a picture book.
Are there any children’s books out now - written by yourself or others - that you wish you could have read as a child?
I would have loved to have read picture books that featured Jewish children and families as I was not aware of any such books when I was growing up. It would have been very validating to see a family like mine in a picture book so I wouldn’t have felt that my family was so different and didn’t belong (we didn’t celebrate Christmas or hunt for Easter eggs, — I wasn’t aware of any picture books that showed my holidays, or families that looked like my family, ate the types of food my family ate, etc.). And I would have loved to have read books that encourage children to just be themselves. I know too many children’s authors to select just one or two, so I’ll leave it at that!
